Christmas wreath under which they kiss 5. The magical properties of mistletoe. Signs and superstitions
We are all used to the fact that the symbol of the New Year and Christmas is either conifer tree. But this tradition is not characteristic of all peoples. About Christmas plants different countries- in the New Year's article!
Holly Holly
Holly (or holly)- much more ancient symbol winter holidays than spruce. The ancient Romans considered holly sacred tree the god Saturn, the Druids traditionally burned its branches on the winter solstice, and the Celts weaved wreaths from the holly and believed that its bright red berries would help them survive the longest night of the year.
Over time, pagan traditions migrated to Christian holidays. The holly has become a real symbol of Christmas. According to one version, it was from holly that gossip was woven wreath Jesus Christ, and red berries are the blood of the Savior. Holly wreaths and garlands are still popular in many countries. Western Europe especially in the UK. It is believed that this plant gives people hope and faith in the best.
mistletoe
Euphorbia the most beautiful (Poinsettia)
Another popular Christmas plant in English speaking countries is poinsettia - "Star of Bethlehem". USA, Canada, UK and many others European countries poinsettia is used to decorate homes and offices, and is also given as a Christmas present. This tradition in last years began to spread in Russia.
Ivy
Ivy sprigs are often added to Christmas wreaths in Western European countries, Canada and the United States. This loach symbolizes the desire to grow up, develop and be closer to God.
Kumquat and tangerines
citrus plants- New Year's symbol in China, Japan and Korea. Kumquats and tangerines symbolize health, happiness and longevity here. These trees, hung with fruits, are traditionally sold here on New Year's holidays, they decorate houses and present them as a gift.
Bamboo
In Japan, bamboo branches are a mandatory attribute for the New Year. They are used to weave unusual figurines “for good luck” or simply hang bundles of bamboo straw on the door to ward off evil spirits. Branches of pine, cypress, and plum or peach blossoms are also popular in Japan.
Nuitsia profusely blooming
In Australia, the main Christmas tree is considered Nuitsia. Exactly under New Year nuitsia blooms with huge bright yellow flowers that can reach 10 meters in height!
Doctor of Biological Sciences B. GOLOVKIN.
Science and life // Illustrations
In America, a yellowish foradendron (Phoradendron blauescens), similar to mistletoe, grows.
Science and life // Illustrations
In Western Australia, the closest relative of mistletoe and foradendron is found - profusely flowering Nuytsia (Nuytsia floribunda). By Christmas, it is covered with many yellow-orange flowers.
And now a little about how mistletoe became famous.
The ancient Roman scientist Pliny the Elder described the Celtic priests, the Druids, who lived on the territory of present-day England in the 1st century AD. Among the magical herbs used by the Druids, mistletoe occupied one of the leading places in the fight against evil spirits. Perhaps, in connection with this property, this graceful plant, which retains its greenery in winter, was subsequently used as a traditional Christmas decoration.
The Christmas craze for mistletoe had another side to it - a playful one. A kiss under mistletoe hanging from the ceiling was considered to bring eternal love and, as some prim English thought in the old days, should lead to an inevitable marriage. One can imagine how many family unions were born at Christmas under the mistletoe!
An explanation for this custom can be found in the Scandinavian sagas. Baldur, the god of peace, was wounded by an arrow made from mistletoe and healed of the wound at the request of the other gods and goddesses. After that, the mistletoe was given over to the goddess of love, who established that everyone passing under the mistletoe should receive a kiss as proof that this branch had become an emblem of love, and not hatred.
Together with the first settlers, the English custom migrated across the ocean - to America. But since mistletoe does not grow in America, its place was taken in the houses by a similar foradendron (Phoradendron).
We meet the veneration of individual plants in the beliefs and customs not only of the ancient Druids and modern British and Americans. Even our ancestors, the Slavs, had objects - amulets. The name itself suggests their purpose: to protect people from misfortunes, primarily from the claims of evil spirits. V. I. Dal defines the amulet as follows: "talisman, amulet, pendant from the evil eye, from fire, water, snakes, death, damage to weddings, diseases, etc."
Charms were not only stones with magical properties, but also some plants.
Aspen, in particular, braved mermaids who harmed peasant crops. In Polissya there was a spring rite of "seeing off a mermaid", which was accompanied by a song:
I will guide the mermaid, I will guide
Let me break the aspen
Shtob the little mermaid did not go,
My little life didn't break.
Wormwood also became a talisman against mermaids: they were afraid of its smell. Other herbs were also unpleasant to them: horseradish, garlic, lovage.
Aspen stake has long been considered the best remedy pacification of the "walking" dead man and vampire. He was driven into the grave or an aspen cross was placed on it, and the dead sorcerers and drowned people were burned at the stake from aspen wood. Aspen drove out many diseases, especially those associated with febrile phenomena: "Aspen, aspen, take my quagmire, give me lightness!"
Birch protected people from evil spirits, as well as from diseases (didn’t they drive out evil spirits from themselves with birch brooms in the bath?).
Witches were afraid of nettles and poppies, they sprinkled a house and a barn. Among the French, flaxseed was considered a talisman against witches, which was carried in a pocket or poured into a boot. The Poles found the same properties in lovage, mint, hemp flowers, the southwestern Slavs and Italians in garlic.
In Ukraine, the periwinkle was a talisman against evil spirits and diseases. Perhaps it was precisely these properties of it that were meant when wedding wreaths were woven from the periwinkle and "kvitki" were made - small bouquets for the guests present at the wedding.
To drive the devils out permanent places their habitations among the Serbs used prickly hawthorn, and among the Russians - thistles.
A lutovka, a piece of lime log peeled from the bark, was considered a talisman against the goblin. The cross made of yew, installed at the entrance to the village, protected the inhabitants from the appearance of the devil. They believed that the shadow from such a cross is deadly for evil spirits.
Willow was a reliable amulet against diseases for all Slavs. So, the Serbs and Macedonians girded themselves with willow branches during harvest, "so that their backs do not hurt." Then they explained it like this: "I married my ailment with a willow."
Let us remember that in ancient Greek myths many heroes ended their lives by turning into gods, some into laurel, some into hyacinth, narcissus, lilac, giving them their names.
Dryads - forest nymphs - patronized the groves and individual trees dedicated to them and pursued the wicked woodcutters who cut them down. That is why the sacred groves, where unique trees grew, remained unchanged, untouchable. The southern Slavs were characterized by the cult of oak, which was considered a tree dedicated to Perun, for the eastern and partly western Slavs - the cult of birch and, to a lesser extent, maple, linden and willow. At that time there were holidays and even weeks associated with a particular plant. The last week before the Trinity (in June) was called Rusalia or Mermaid Week. It is believed that Rusalia is an ancient holiday of roses modified by the religion of the Slavs - a rosary, or rosalia. In it, linguists see the etymological, semantic basis of the very name "mermaid" - the deity of wild roses, wild rose. Subsequently, this basis was our ancestors, apparently lost and Rusal Week did without roses, although wreaths of flowers for girls were necessarily woven. The participants of the holiday chose one girl who played the role of a mermaid, dressed her up in festive clothes and decorated her with a wreath or even several wreaths. On the last day of the Mermaid Week, this "mermaid" was taken out to the rye field, to the river bank or to the cemetery. The mermaid wreath flew over the fence, onto the fire or into the water, and the girls, the mermaid's girlfriends, hurriedly scattered so that she would not catch up with them.
In the folk calendar, there are still holidays associated with plants: Apple Spas, Palm Week, Colored (Flower) Sunday, Maple Saturday, Walnut Spas, Grass Friday. So, on Ascension Day or on Spirits Day, houses were decorated with hazel branches, which were considered a means of communication with deceased relatives. On Trinity - the 50th day after Easter - Trinity greenery was always used: young birches, maple, oak, linden, mountain ash, hazel.
It is believed that for the first time the custom of putting small Christmas trees in front of dwellings appeared in Germany only in the 16th century. At the same time, Christmas trees began to be decorated ... with fruits, mainly apples.
In our country, Christmas (they are New Year's) trees appeared later. Marking the beginning of the new year 1700 on January 1 (before that, the year in Russia began on September 1), Peter I ordered: “At the houses ... henceforth, on the gates, make some decorations from trees and branches of pine, spruce and juniper against the samples that were made on Gostiny Yard near the lower pharmacy. Note: there is no categorical indication here - Christmas trees and nothing else. There is another alternative: not only trees, it is possible to use just branches. But, despite such liberties, it was not possible for a long time to “perpetrate” an overseas tradition in Russia. Only in the forties of the XIX century the first "public" Christmas tree was arranged in St. Petersburg by the Germans who lived there. It would seem that Peter's idea after that was firmly rooted. However, the "German roots" of the Christmas tree were later remembered. It happened shortly after the outbreak of the First World War, when the Holy Synod banned the Christmas tree, "as an enemy, German idea." This ban also existed in the first years of Soviet power, but later the tree reappeared in our homes, but not as a Christmas tree, but as a New Year's tree.
The forest beauty was decorated with toys, fruits, sweets, candles. On the eve of 1895, the candles were replaced by garlands of electric light bulbs. It happened in Washington, in front of the White House. And in the same place, in front of the residence of the President of the United States, the tallest (more than 67 m) Christmas beauty later flaunted. You can read about it in the Guinness Book of Records.
See in a room on the same topic
Christmas magic mistletoeAccording to English custom, a man is allowed
kiss a girl if he is at Christmas time
catch her under mistletoe branch,
suspended from the ceiling or chandelier.
mistletoe in the culture of European peoples, it survived paganism and became a favorite plant in modern times as a symbol of the Christmas holiday. "Christmas Mistletoe" or "Kissing Branch" is the main traditional Christmas decoration in England, before the spread of the Christmas tree in the second half of the 19th century.
The traditional English decoration has the form of a double ring or sphere with a wire frame, which is completely covered with greenery: mistletoe, ivy, holly. Red apples, pears or oranges can be tied with ribbons and hung in the center. In addition, candles could be attached to the frame. Another form of "Christmas mistletoe" was only the upper part of the hemisphere.
mistletoe- a sacred evergreen plant of the Druids from 1 thousand years BC, growing on the branches of trees, in different traditions acts as a symbol of life. In the middle of winter, it blooms with yellow flowers and produces white berries. The Celts and the ancient Romans used it on the days of the winter solstice as a sacred plant (remember the lines of Joseph Brodsky: "The province celebrates Christmas. / The governor's palace is twined with mistletoe ..." White mistletoe, like oak, in ancient times served as the subject of superstitious reverence.
The reason for the worship of the Magi of the ancient Gauls according to Pliny was that everything growing on the oak was considered divine. At the same time, the mistletoe did not have roots in the ground, and it was not clear where it came from on the tree.
In Switzerland, mistletoe was called the "thunder broom" - they thought that it appears on the trees from lightning. In Bohemia, they believed that a “thunder broom” burned in a fire should serve as a protection for the house from lightning. Mistletoe played not only the role of a lightning rod, but also a universal master key: she was credited with the ability to open any locks.
But its most precious property was protection from magic and sorcery.
The Valo Negroes of Senegambia wore mistletoe leaves as a grigri talisman to ward off wounds in war. In Austria, a branch of mistletoe was placed on the threshold of the house to get rid of nightmares. In Sweden, a bunch of mistletoe was hung from the ceiling of the house, stable and cowshed so that the troll could not harm either people or animals.
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Mistletoe is associated with fertility, wealth, protection and healing. It symbolizes immortality and rebirth. There was a custom to cut the mistletoe during the summer and winter solstices, correlated with life and death.
The Celtic Druid priests believed that mistletoe is the golden branch of the Tree of Life, which seals the union of the divine and the earthly. Roman writers (Caesar, Pliny the Elder, etc.) describe the Druid ritual of collecting mistletoe surrounded by mystery. The plant was plucked on the full moon or new moon, without the help of iron, sometimes with a golden sickle, while it should not have touched the ground. Mistletoe plucked in this way protected a person from any witchcraft, with its help it was possible to find an underground treasure. It was believed that the mistletoe drink provided a person with invulnerability, healed ulcers, and helped women get rid of infertility. According to legend, mistletoe was born from a lightning strike on an oak branch, so mistletoe growing on oak is endowed with a special healing properties, and the juice of its berries is food for the body and spirit.
The veneration of mistletoe by the Celts may have been reflected in Virgil's Aeneid, where Aeneas, on the advice of the Sibyl, extracts a branch of mistletoe, sacrifices it to Proserpina and enters the underworld to meet with his father.
The pagan origin of mistletoe worship is confirmed by the fact that Christian priests did not allow it to be brought into the church for a long time. Even in our time, mistletoe (as well as holly, ivy, and pine needles) are predominantly used to decorate residential buildings, while “other greens — holly, ivy, boxwood — adorn both houses and churches.”
Only in England, for which the cult of mistletoe is especially characteristic, at Christmas both houses and churches are decorated with its curly branches. At the basis of the mystical respect for mistletoe still existing among the British lies the idea of eternal life.
The popular and now tradition of kissing under mistletoe branches at Christmas, according to some opinions, originates in Old Norse mythology, where the mistletoe was subordinate to the goddess of love, beauty and fertility, Freya. The enemy warriors, having met under the mistletoe, had to lay down their arms before the end of the day. Other researchers believe that it comes from the wedding ceremonies that were traditionally celebrated during the Saturnian winter festivities in Ancient Rome- in their place with the advent of Christianity began to celebrate Christmas
As part of his struggle to eradicate paganism Christian church tried to ban the use of mistletoe, but was not successful in this. And in our time, European Christmas markets offer thin twigs with nondescript yellowish berries, under which couples kiss with pleasure at Christmas (American lovers kiss under yellowish foradendron (Phoradendron serotinum), a local relative of mistletoe, with wider leaves and the same as in white mistletoe, berries).
The legend of the kiss under the mistletoe originates from the Scandinavian myth of the god Balder, the son of Odin and Freya. Mother loved Baldur so much that she made all the plants swear to protect him. Unfortunately, she forgot to take the oath from the mistletoe, and Loki, the god of evil, killed Baldur with a dart made from mistletoe. The gods resurrected Balder, and the mistletoe promised that they would never harm their pet if they protected her from the touch of the earth. The gods transferred the mistletoe under the auspices of Freya, the goddess of love - hence the custom of kissing under the mistletoe
The emblem of the Hays was mistletoe. It was believed that if the oak fell, then the fall of the Hays was inevitable. And any representative of this kind would certainly bring trouble upon himself if he happened to kill a falcon (the oak stood next to the Falcon Stone) or cut down a branch of an old oak. around the tree in the direction of the sun, will be the best talisman against witchcraft damage and save its owner from death in battle.
As you can see, a man brings home a Christmas tree (presumably a family one, for children), and a young lady brings mistletoe to hang in the house and get the right to kiss. A girl who happened to be under a hanging branch of mistletoe was allowed to kiss anyone. This is where the name “kissing branch” comes from.
Harvesting Mistletoe on Christmas Eve is still a ritual in a number of traditions, somewhat reminiscent of the Druidic one. At the same time, there are ideas that cutting the mistletoe branch is dangerous.
The Druids plucked the mistletoe following complex rituals: on the sixth day of the moon, a priest in a white robe climbed a tree and, cutting the plant with a golden sickle, laid it on a piece of white cloth. The mistletoe was to be plucked without the use of iron, and the plucked must not touch the ground.
The custom of kissing under the mistletoe left the shores of England very quickly. ... Mistletoe branches decorate houses outside and inside, its branches (or figurines made from mistletoe) are hung in livestock buildings in order to expel evil spirits and witches, etc.
According to numerous beliefs, the “golden branch” of Mistletoe is able to help find a golden treasure or open a lock, and a drink from Mistletoe provides a person with invulnerability. The use of mistletoe in magic and folk medicine, where it refers to the plants of John the Baptist and is considered an all-healing agent.
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In his book The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Traditional Symbols, J.S. Cooper suggested that since mistletoe is neither a tree nor a shrub, and thus neither one nor the other, it symbolizes "freedom from all inhibitions, so that anyone under this plant gains freedom from restrictions")
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It was mistletoe that was the first plant adopted as a symbol of an American state - this happened in 1893 in Oklahoma.
Curious facts about MISTLE:
Mistletoe berries attract birds, such as thrushes, which are dispersers of the plant's seeds. The bird pecked at these berries, and her beak became sticky. Flying to a nearby tree, she cleaned her beak on a branch and left a sticky seed stuck to her beak on it. Or a few hours later, having flown away from the place of the feast, the same bird left a droppings on a branch of some tree. And in the litter there is a mistletoe seed, which did not lose its germination capacity from the fact that he had to pass through the intestines of a bird
In the spring, when the juices of the tree run faster through the vessels, the mistletoe seed will sprout. No matter how the seed is oriented, the root of the seedling will necessarily bend towards the branch - a slightly noticeable heat emanates from it, it casts a light shadow, and the mistletoe seedling perceives this heat and this shadow better than a sensitive device. Having come into contact with the bark, the root begins to expand into a round dense plate. Soon, a strong, needle-sharp sucker grows out of its center, which penetrates the bark of the branch and gradually reaches the wood. This process cannot penetrate into the wood itself. But since new layers grow every year on the outside of the wood, the sucker eventually becomes immersed in them, and the whole mistletoe plant is tightly attached to the branch. In addition, already in the second year of life, the root process begins to branch, spreading in strands between the bark and wood and spreading further and further inside the branch that sheltered it.
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Outside, nothing happens on the branch in the first year. But on the second, when the sucker root begins to deliver water to the mistletoe and minerals from the host plant, a leafy shoot appears on the branch, growing stronger every year and turning into a green bush
Kiss under the mistletoe - there will be love all year round !
Since very ancient times, mistletoe has been considered one of the most magical, mysterious and sacred plants mentioned in European folklore. Ancient manuscripts claim that it can bestow life and fertility, protect against poison, and be a powerful aphrodisiac. But where did the tradition of bringing a sprig of mistletoe into the house at Christmas come from?
Ancient legend associated with mistletoe
Presumably, the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe has its roots in the history of the ancient Vikings. Around 800 AD e. the first recorded mythical evidence of this appeared. Although, that first kiss under the mistletoe was not a symbol of a man's love for a woman, but a manifestation of maternal love for her son. At that time, the pantheon of barbarian deities was very numerous. And once it so happened that one of the gods - Balder, the god of the summer sun - was killed by poison from the mistletoe. According to ancient beliefs, this meant that soon all life on earth was to die. His mother, the goddess of love - Frigga - with incredible efforts managed to bring him back to life after three days. Overjoyed that her son opened his eyes again and smiled at her, she kissed everyone who passed under the mistletoe, and her tears became pearly white berries on a wild plant.
But the ancient Greeks made mistletoe a cult for lovers. They came up with a beautiful rite, which every year became the final event of the Saturnalia festival. Then the guys took a sprig of mistletoe, approached the girl they liked, and kissed her. The days of the festival were a fertile time in which lovers were allowed to openly demonstrate their feelings. Soon the kiss under the mistletoe became a primitive marriage ceremony.
... the deification of plants, animals, stones is a completely logical act for paganism. But what about the kiss? This is not clear...
Modern rite of "kiss under the mistletoe"
Apparently because the mistletoe can reconcile warring people, bring together the shy, make the humble more relaxed, the Christmas rite of the “kiss under the mistletoe” lives and flourishes to this day. Although, the modern tradition of kissing is slightly different from the ancient one. Now, at a certain time of the Christmas holiday, the girl stands under a bunch of mistletoe and waits.
If there is a guy in love with her among those present, he should rush to kiss her. His kiss is a silent marriage proposal. The girl, in turn, cannot refuse the guy a kiss (as the sacred law of the ancient Vikings says). If she is ready to share with him later life, then she must, as a sign of consent, pick a berry from the mistletoe. Such a union, concluded under the mistletoe, is considered a blessed time, people and god. In some parts of England, there is another rite. On the 12th day after Christmas, the mistletoe under which boys and girls kissed is burned. This means that they can no longer change their mind, and must necessarily marry.
And if there is no guy in love with a girl among those present? What then?
If a girl remained “unkissed” under the mistletoe, this means that she will not marry in the coming year. Although, in principle, the ancient druids, Celts and Greeks in our time can be looked at, to put it mildly, philosophically.
Christmas mistletoe and celebrities
This is exactly what our and foreign stars do. Abroad, they even arrange charity auctions. Their essence: to buy for big money the right to kiss a famous person (actor, musician, politician, etc.) under the mistletoe umbrella. And, believe me, many who want to be paid millions to perform the ceremony with an idol!
For example, this year at the Christmas auction in Covent Garden (London), the star of the world's dance TV shows, Louis Spence, bought the right to kiss the famous British TV presenter Christina Blakely under the mistletoe for 25,000 euros.
In parallel, at Madison Square Garden, in New York, actors Harry Styles and Lime Payne were bought out for "an amount equivalent to the cost of good car in the USA" the right to kiss popular singer Taylor Swift under the mistletoe. Now, however, it is not clear how they will share the mistletoe berry and the bride so desired by many?
And the popular host of the American entertainment show Michelle Rozman decided not to part with the mistletoe during the Christmas days! At the same time (absolutely free!) He kissed all the stars who came to him on the air! Oh, rogue and entertainer!
Russian traditions and Christmas mistletoe
Our Russian guys and girls have also actively begun to adopt ancient European traditions in recent years. True, often our guys, in order to kiss a girl, are too lazy to climb a tall oak and cut the mistletoe ... It's difficult, and their feet get cold in January ... Yes, and the Russian traditional viburnum perfectly fulfills the role of a bunch of poisonous mistletoe, even better, because it you can eat!
Even our grandfathers and great-grandfathers kissed under the viburnum, gave an oath of allegiance, vows to wait from the war.
Yes, and a Russian girl will not be modest, like a European or an American, stand under the mistletoe and wait for someone to kiss her! Our "ladies" are used to taking the bull by the horns! And if the right guy is not within reach, Santa Claus is also great! Well, really, do not sit in the girls all your life!
Ah, good tradition! The only pity is that Christmas is only once a year! And this means that if you want to swear an oath of love and fidelity for life, and receive a blessing higher powers for a future union, you have to wait for months? “You can not wait, but act more cunningly!”, experienced people recommend. For example, give your girlfriend earrings with mistletoe berries. Let him try on. And you, at this time, do not waste time! Use our advice in practice, and let happiness burst into your life!
Green, even in winter, mistletoe is not particularly beautiful, but occupies a prominent place in Christmas floristry. It is included in New Year's holiday compositions and wreaths, the branches of this plant are hung under the chandelier, they decorate the house and the front door on the eve of Christmas. Many signs and beliefs are associated with the magical properties of mistletoe.
Pictures with mistletoe: on the right - A. Mucha "Portrait of a girl with mistletoe"; left - K. Witkowski "Under the mistletoe".
About the plant
Mistletoe is used for medicinal purposes: their extract of its leaves is used to make medicines for hypertension. Bird glue is also made from its fruits, which is used to catch small birds.
Signs and superstitions
Even the ancient Greeks and Romans considered mistletoe a symbol of life and strong protection. There was also an opinion that if a woman carries this plant with her, it promotes conception. Among the Druids, mistletoe gathering was accompanied special ritual: it was cut with a golden sickle at certain astronomical hours, on a specially selected tree, in the presence of people who had undergone purification.
In the Scandinavian countries, this plant was considered a symbol of peace. Decorating the outside of the houses with mistletoe meant that the owners were ready to host a traveler. If enemies were encountered under a tree with this plant, they had to lay down their arms for the whole day.
There are also well-known Western Christmas traditions associated with mistletoe. For example, if two people meet under a branch of this plant, they are obliged to kiss.
christmas mistletoe
It is believed that the tradition of decorating houses with branches of this plant on the eve of the winter holidays appeared in England during the time of the Druids, who considered it sacred. Initially, it was customary to hang only bunches of mistletoe. Later, a traditional Christmas wreath appeared, which is decorated with evergreens. Most often, mistletoe, ivy or holly are used for this.
Until the spread of the Christmas tree in the second half of the 19th century, this plant was a traditional symbol of Christmas in England. Because of the custom of kissing under the mistletoe branch, it is also called the "kissing branch".
Another symbol of mistletoe is the protection of the house from evil spirits and magic. Her presence in the house at Christmas meant protection from thunder and lightning, as well as from witchcraft.
English postcards with mistletoe.
In France, mistletoe branches are given to each other as a "gift for good luck." It is under this name that this plant is known here.